The subject matter of the present invention includes an orally administered preparation containing highly purified hydrolyzed gelatin enriched with magnesium and B-group vitamins in individuals susceptible to joint injuries caused by excess effort (e.g. athletes), in order to increase the mass of the joint cartilage. This effect was proven by the ultrasonographic measurement of biometric values of the cartilage (thickness).
The injuries derived from the practice of sports represent a health problem due to the considerable requirements that these athletes place on their bodies. Over the last few decades an important increase has been observed in injuries derived from the practice of sports due to the increased number of participants, at a competitive as well as a recreational level, the increase in the number of hours of physical activity, as well as the development of diagnostic methods.
The majority of sports injuries, between 30 and 50%, are due to excessive use, that is to say, they are produced when the demands placed on anatomical structures surpass the tolerance level of the structure involved and repetition of the damaging activity; causing problems in the cartilage by overloading the joints. These types of injuries are more frequent when the athletes do not adhere to an adequate training program, vary their exercise routine, apply sudden changes in the intensity of the force, or do not correctly observe warm-up and/or rest periods. These circumstances often occur in amateur as well as professional competitors.
These problems could be solved by increasing the synthesis of cartilage mass so that the demands placed on the joint are compensated and the tolerance level of the structure is not exceeded. This is the only way to prevent all these joint problems caused by overload and excessive use.
It is well known that the daily ingestion of 5 to 15 g of enzymatically hydrolyzed gelatin has been used as a treatment for the symptoms of arthrosis and other degenerative joint diseases. This improves the general condition of patients affected by these pathologies and the symptoms produced by arthrosis as evaluated by different parameters such as clinical symptomatology (pain), articular mobility, reduction or suppression of the use of analgesics and improvement in limb movement.
These clinical studies and high-priority applications correspond to the following references: Koepff et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,745, Feb. 14, 1989. Therapie der Osteoarthrose. Welche wirkung haben Gelatinepraparate. Adam Milan. Therapiewoche. 38, 2458-2461 (1992).
Although there is considerable speculation about the precise mechanism by which a hydrolyzed collagen can improve the symptomatology of arthritic lesions (e.g. regarding the potential action of glycine-histidine-lysine tripeptide, or modification in the synthesis of type II collagen); it seems that the mechanism could be related to a process of tolerance to proteins ingested by oral route, its effect on the synthesis of cartilaginous matter in these patients being discarded by radiographic studies.
On the other hand, there is a deep belief in the scientific community of the impossibility of generating greater cartilaginous mass by the ingestion of precursors of collagen synthesis, such as hydrolyzed gelatin.
Hydrolyzed gelatin was used to improve the symptomatology in cases of arthrosis or degenerative joint diseases. Even though the pathogenesis of the disease is unknown, in the majority of cases it is related with complex biochemical processes that are based on the synthesis of types of collagen other than the biologically useful type (an increase in the synthesis of type II collagen has been shown to take place in these diseases). At the same time, this can bring about self-immunity processes and the consequent degeneration of the affected joint or joints.